The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1887-10-01
MONROE, LOUISIANA SATURDAY, OCTOBER |. 1887

aud expect to all my lite. am sur
prised at you, mama. just think what
uncle has done for us. Uncle Joe" she
continued, going to his bedsid with
tears glistening in her eyes, styou don't
hate me, do you?,'
"Heaveu knows do not, child"
said the old man. "What have l done
to make you think 30 ?"
"Nothing but - but - well, never
mind, 1t makes no difference. shsll
love you anyhow"
"Come on, let US go home, Betle."l
said Mrs. Bradleigh imperatively. |
"Good morning." Aud she left with. |
out farther ceremony followed by |
Belle. When they had reached the
street Uncle Joe said:
81 have put fire ON the terrapin's |
back, and made him crawl out. did
not know till now that they were so |
unRratetul. Belle Is so selfish she can.
not conceal 1t. She cannot deceive |
me-"
"I think you are mistaken, Uncle |
Joe," said Mary who was a sad sor-
rowiul spectator of the scene which had !
just transpired. "Belle Is not so selfish |
as she appears to be. She has been |
petted and spoiled by Aunt Jane-that|
is all. She has a good heart"
81 cannot think so, Mary. She has
been spoiled that is l1u.; but unfor- |
tunately her nature was very easy to
spoil, What an abominablo temper
| that woman has!"
"Who?" asked Mary.
''Jane Bradleigh. Sho is like al
hyeua, and was mad enough to Kill
| me, Belle resembles her, too"
"They are terribly disappointed, Un-
Gle Joe, 1t Is enough, IL you will think
about 1t, to arouse their feelings. They
do not know how to work, and never
expected to have it TO do. l am really
sorry for Belle, for think she is kind
hearted by nature"
| rYou are deceived. But never mind.
Are you not sorry for yourself, too? Is
your prospect any better than hers?
Tell me, are you not surprised at my
will? Did you not expect that would
make provision for oil three OF ycu-
you, equally with them?''
s'To be honest, Uncle, have thought
very little about 1t. Sometimes when
the matter was mentioned in my press
ence, my idea was that you would
leave the great bulk of your property
to Cousin Belle, and, Of course, could
not help but think that, since you have
been 40 kind to me, you would leave
me few hundred dollars as token of
your affection. But 1 have always ex.
pec,ed that I would have to labor for
my own support, and so l am not at
all disappointed that my name Is not
in your will. However, since you have
seen proper to disinherit Belle, l can
not but heartily approve your intention
of founding a hospital. 1t has really
elevated you in my esteem."
"You thought l was q hard-hearted
miser, did you:"
ono, Uncle, I have never thought
that. You have spent enough on your
brothers family and on me to disprovc
any sach charge"
81 see that you have more good sense
than Belle, or her mother. l wish
had thought about but never mind.
Mary" he continued after short
pause, sIf there is anything detest 1t
is selfishness. l know that some people
, think am full Of it. But there Is a
difference between prudence and sci.
, tishness. There is sort Of foolish SEN
I umentality, a ls,tcIo generosity that
scatters to the winds indiscriminately
! There is no sense in that. Prudence
and economy are essential to every
/, household. Belle and her mother are
both deficient in these domestic vir'
tues. They would exhaust n mint j
e they had it,
4 "Uncie Joe," said Mary kindly
n "could you not be persuaded to max,
Il some provision for Cousin Belle?
}, feel so sorry for her. ! never saw my
h one 80 deeply disappointed. Woult
= you not have enough to found the hos
! pital, and leave her q suf1iciency 4
~ live on:"
:: The old man looked straight at he
for moment, and was on the point O
q acquainting her with the particulars q
his will, but he suddenly checked him
!. self, and ended with an expression
II which he frequently used-"but neve
mind now" Then he added:
"Let us see how she will condut
& herself in the future. However, / wi
v not, under any circumstances, leav
re her control Of my property"
o "Il possible" pleaded Mary, "leav
.. her enough to keep her from labor"
ie "She would soon spend 1t, Mary, an
have to go TO work at last. That woul
1e be the result, il she had millions. Bl
is never mind now. We will drop II
at subject for the present"
DO Accordingly nothing more was salt
sc Mary took control of her uuclc's hous
be hold affairs from that day, and in